Tag: Restaurants, Bars and Cafe’s

Tex-Mex and Italian/French will be 4-Star’s Newest Southport Restaurants

4-Star Restaurant Group, parent company of Crosby’s Kitchen, Smoke Daddy, Frasca’s Pizzeria and D.O.C. Wine Bar (and others) is expanding in Chicago’s Southport Corridor, and here is the latest update:

  • Justin’s Space. The former Justin\’s Bar & Grill space is currently gutted, and 4-Star is hoping to get in there shortly to start the construction process. The space will feature full windows from the rendering below, along with an expanded kitchen area. The name should be announced soon, and they are looking to open by fall. It will be a Tex-Mex themed restaurant along with brunch on the weekends, killer margaritas and a full tequila bar. They will be keeping the outdoor area, albeit a bit smaller.
  • Wrigleyville Dental Space  The building behind Crosby\’s Kitchen will be re-developed and is planning to open in 2017 as an adult restaurant and full bar with French and Italian cuisine. The name of the new restaurant will be Ella Elli, and will be open for dinner only.

Timings are all dependent on the permit processing from the City of Chicago for both restaurants (Justin\’s former space is currently undergoing the permitting process). More information can be found here from DNA Info Chicago.

4-Star Restaurant Group will be keeping Justin’s former outdoor patio area

Good news for former Justin’s beer garden fans.  4-Star will be keeping the outdoor area in their upcoming new restaurant at 3358 N. Southport Avenue, but it will be smaller due to construction needed to expand the kitchen.

We have also heard that they will be improving it greatly, with fire pits to keep things going well into the cooler months. In addition as we mentioned before, Tex-Mex appears to be the new restaurant theme.

Venus Restaurant construction starting in former Cullen’s location

From Chicago Cityscape, close to a $500,000 gut-renovation will be starting at Cullen’s former space as The Mercury Theater starts to construct Venus. Venus Restaurant will be located at 3741 N. Southport Avenue and will be a restaurant with a live theater component.  DNA Info Chicago first reported the news last year, and you can read more information on Mercury\’s new restaurant concept here.

‘Port Rumors – Is a Tex-Mex concept restaurant coming to Southport?

4-Star Restaurant Group, owners of Crosby’s Kitchen will be moving into their latest concept later this year, and rumors are that it will be a TexMex type of restaurant from the former owner of Justin’s himself.  Would you welcome this type of restaurant on Southport?

4-Star Restaurant Group’s Expansion Plans for the Southport Corridor

4-Star Restaurant Group, parent company of Crosby’s Kitchen, Smoke Daddy, Frasca’s Pizzeria and D.O.C. Wine Bar (and others) is expanding in Chicago’s Southport Corridor, and here is the scoop:

  • Wrigleyville Dental Space  The building behind Crosby’s Kitchen will be developed and will open in early 2017 as an adult restaurant and full bar.  The name of the new restaurant will be Ella Elli (and not Three Sisters).
  • Justin’s Space. The former Justin’s Bar & Grill space is currently gutted (take a peek when you walk by), and 4-Star is hoping to get in there this month to start the process. There is no name as of yet for the new space, but they are looking to have it open by fall of 2016.  Per 4-Star, “It will be a very comfortable family style restaurant (similar to Crosby’s Kitchen, but different food).”
  • Timings are all dependent on the permit processing times from the City of Chicago for both restaurants.

As we hear more from 4-Star, we will be sure to let you know.

Mirador Restaurant Closed Quietly Over the Weekend

Can any restaurant survive in the space? Mirador Restaurant, located at 2834 N. Southport has quietly closed over the weekend, after being in business for only 1 year. Did you frequent there often?

Justin’s Bar and Grill is Now Closed

Justin’s has officially closed as of January 3, 2015, their website is gone, and Newcastle Limited, owner of the building is re-leasing out the space,  4-Star restaurant group, owner’s of Crosby’s Kitchen will be taking over the location; timing is TBD for now.

Continue reading “Justin’s Bar and Grill is Now Closed”

Ring in the New Year with The Spanish Square

WHAT:

A First Look & First Taste — of what The Spanish Square has to offer all while enjoying one of Spain’s biggest traditions, Doce Uvas de la Suerte.

Since 1909 it has been a tradition in Spain to ring in the New Year by eating 12 grapes, one for each stroke of midnight. It is all to ensure good luck and good health all year long. Owners of The Spanish Square, husband and wife duo Manuel Moreno and Mara Baer, invite you to ring in the Spanish New Year in style and celebrate the 12 grapes at an open house.

You will enjoy fine Spanish wine, passed tapas and of course the Spanish grapes!

WHEN:
New Year’s Eve December 31, 2015
3:00 – 6:00 pm
Spanish New Year 5:00 pm Central Standard Time/Midnight Sanlúcar, Spain (Doce Uvas de la Suerte)

New Years Day, January 1, 2016
10:00 am – 12:00 am

A formal grand opening & ribbon cutting is planned for March 2016.

WHERE:
The Spanish Square
1358 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago Illinois

Browse unique Spanish items including Spanish seafood and vegetable preserves (anchovy/tuna), meats, cheeses, rice, legumes, ceramics, earthenware and paella pans, among many other items. Take home specialty meats like Jamón Iberico, chorizo and lomo” and cheeses from all over Spain, from creamy, spreadable Torta del Casar to a hard-aged Manchego.

WHO:
The Spanish Square is a tapas bar, wine bodega and Spanish Market modeled after the Plaza del Cabildo, a marketplace located in Sanlúcar de Barrameda in the Cádiz province of Andalucía in southern Spain. The Spanish Square is designed to give its guests a taste of the atmosphere in an authentic Spanish plaza. The Spanish Square is owned by husband and wife duo Manuel Moreno and Mara Baer.

For more information go to www.thespanishsquare.com or on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/TheSpanishSquare on Twitter @SpanishSquare.

Say Goodbye to Deleece and Hello to Grassroots

Deleece will be closing after 20 years on Southport and re-concepted into a casual, family-friendly farm to table restaurant in early 2016 call Grassroots.
Goodbye, Deleece. The restaurant will morph into a new concept in January.

After 20 years in business, Deleece Restaurant (3747 N. Southport Ave.) will morph into a casual restaurant called Grassroots in early January, with a focus on family-friendly dining and food sourced from local farmers. And there will be pizza, too.

Why the change?

Continue reading “Say Goodbye to Deleece and Hello to Grassroots”

Tear-Down and New Construction to begin on Billy Lawless and Ryan O’Donnell’s new Southport Corridor Restaurant

As previously reported, Billy Lawless (The Gage, The Dawson) and Ryan O’Donnell (Gemini Bistro) are collaborating on a new restaurant that will be located at 3335 N. Southport Avenue.  Construction permits have been approved for the new construction building, and we would expect the new restaurant to open in late 2016 or early 2017.

We reached out to the new owners and they told us know that \”the concept and menu are still being developed but it will be an upscale casual neighborhood restaurant that will focus on high quality food in a comfortable and lovely atmosphere.”

We are looking forward to this new restaurant on The ‘Port!

Continue reading “Tear-Down and New Construction to begin on Billy Lawless and Ryan O’Donnell’s new Southport Corridor Restaurant”

Faces of Small Business: Corridor Brewery & Provisions

lakeviewchamber:

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Featuring Greg Shuff, Owner of Corridor Brewery & Provisions

Lakeview is a community of small businesses. This holiday season, we’re sitting down with the people behind the neighborhood’s favorite local shops, restaurants, and institutions to learn their stories as part of a series we’re calling the Faces of Small Business. Know of a Lakeview business you think we should spotlight? Email us at info@lakeviewchamber.com.

When did your business open?

I’m fortunate enough to have two businesses in Lakeview; Corridor Brewery & Provisions just opened on October 15, 2015, and DryHop Brewers opened back in the day…June 13, 2013.

What inspired you to start a small business?

I’m a really bad employee but we’ve all got bills to pay.

Why did you choose to establish your business in Lakeview?

I moved to Chicago back in February of 2011 (the day after the ’11 blizzard) and I landed in Lakeview. So I’ve always been partial to this neighborhood…and I still live just down the street. Beside my emotional connection, I’ve always believed that Lakeview has great demographics but a very low density of craft beer spots. Those two factors made opening a brewery in Lakeview feel like the only smart thing to do.

What is your favorite thing about operating your business in Lakeview?

The neighbors. We’re only interested in being a neighborhood craft brewery, nothing more and nothing less. So when the neighbors are cool and excited about the weird stuff we do, it makes my job a lot of fun.

What has been your greatest success as a small business owner in Lakeview?

We just opened our second Lakeview brewpub and it’s going great. DryHop Brewers in East Lakeview is our first born. DryHop was well enough received that we felt (read: blindly believed) West Lakeview would be a great location to open a new and different kind of brewpub, Corridor Brewery & Provisions.

You can find Corridor Brewery & Provisions at 3446 N Southport Ave, or online at www.corridorchicago.com.